Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are inherently sensitive cells. Single-cell dissociation and the establishment of clonal cell lines have been long-standing challenges. This inefficiency of cell cloning represents a major obstacle for the standardization and streamlining of gene editing in induced pluripotent stem cells for basic and translational research. Here we describe a chemically defined protocol for robust single-cell cloning using microfluidics-based cell sorting in combination with the CEPT small-molecule cocktail. This advanced strategy promotes the viability and cell fitness of self-renewing stem cells. The use of low-pressure microfluidic cell dispensing ensures gentle and rapid dispensing of single cells into 96- and 384-well plates, while the fast-acting CEPT cocktail minimizes cellular stress and maintains cell structure and function immediately after cell dissociation. The protocol also facilitates clone picking and produces genetically stable clonal cell lines from hPSCs in a safe and cost-efficient fashion. Depending on the proliferation rate of the clone derived from a single cell, this protocol can be completed in 7–14 d and requires experience with aseptic cell culture techniques. Altogether, the relative ease, scalability and robustness of this workflow should boost gene editing in hPSCs and leverage a wide range of applications, including cell line development (e.g., reporter and isogenic cell lines), disease modeling and applications in regenerative medicine.
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Data availability
The main data discussed in this protocol were generated as part of the studies published in the supporting primary research papers in refs. 31,32. Whole-exome files have been deposited to the Sequence Read Archive under BioProject PRJNA552890.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful for the support from the Regenerative Medicine Program (RMP) of the NIH Common Fund, NIH HEAL Initiative and in part by the intramural research program of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NIH. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and data analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. We are also thankful to the NIH Medical Arts Design Section for preparing Fig. 4.
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Contributions
C.A.T. and I.S. conceived the project and designed the protocol. C.A.T. performed the experiments with help from H.H., Y.J., Y.C., C.W., P-H.C., S.R. and V.M.J. I.H. and T.C.V. performed the 3D rendering data analysis. Data analysis and discussions were done by all authors. C.A.T. and I.S. wrote the manuscript.
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Competing interests
I.S., Y.C. and A.S. are co-inventors on a US Department of Health and Human Services patent application covering the CEPT cocktail and its use.
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Nature Protocols thanks Andreas Kurtz, Jeanne Loring, Ai Zhang and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
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Key references using this protocol
Chen, Y. et al. Nat. Methods 18, 528–541 (2021): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-021-01126-2
Tristan, C. A. et al. Stem Cell Rep. 16, 3076–3092 (2021): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.11.004
Supplementary information
Source data
Source Data Fig. 2
Cell roundness and impedance data.
Source Data Fig. 3
% Cloning efficiency, growth rate confluency and cell survival data.
Source Data Fig. 6
Unprocessed western blots.
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Tristan, C.A., Hong, H., Jethmalani, Y. et al. Efficient and safe single-cell cloning of human pluripotent stem cells using the CEPT cocktail. Nat Protoc 18, 58–80 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41596-022-00753-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41596-022-00753-z
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